I recently heard the song ‘City of New Orleans’ by Steve Goodman on the radio, and was brought back to a time long ago. The song speaks of the Amtrak passenger train that runs 926 miles between Chicago and New Orleans, which was famous for its eccentric and diverse ambiance.

Taking a train or car to go on vacation seems like a more viable option than ever before even today, due to the recent surge in high airline prices . Gas prices are currently at record lows, which makes road trips and backyard vacations an affordable way to explore nearby states that offer eclectic, exciting, and diverse travel options. New Orleans is a perfect place to hit the road to, whether you are coming from Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Houston or Memphis.

You can even save more on your affordable vacation by staying at a discount New Orleans Hotel like the Frenchmen Orleans, located right by the exciting and historic French Quarter.

City of New Orleans
by Steve Goodman

Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin’ towns that have no names
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles

Chorus
Good morning, America, how are you
Don’t you know me, I’m your native son
I’m the train they call The City of New Orleans
I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Dealin’ cards with the old men in the club car
Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score
Won’t you pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father’s magic carpet made of steam
Mothers with their babes asleep
Are rockin’ to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream